Cappuccino Biscotti

I’ve never been one to wait until Thanksgiving has passed to begin spreading Christmas cheer. In fact, I started my Christmas shopping in September. Last weekend, I pulled out the boxes of holiday decor from the basement and started sprinkling bits of red, green and gold around the house. And let’s be honest, Hallmark’s Christmas movies have been playing on my TV for a solid month. I love Christmas almost as much as I love Octobers.

But as much as I love the sights, sounds and smells of Christmas, today, I decided to dive into the flavors of the holiday season with a batch of cappuccino biscotti.

CappuccinoBiscottiIn Italian, the word “biscotto” means “biscuit” or “cookie.” More specifically, biscotti are named according to their original method of baking. The root words “bis” and “cotto” literally mean “twice” and “baked.”

Preheat oven to 350˚F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, coffee granules, cinnamon and salt. Using a pastry cutter (or, if you’re like me and don’t have one, two knives or a fork), cut in the butter until the mixture is fine and crumbly.

Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts and eggs until the dough is just barely moistened. Turn out onto a lightly floured surface, and knead lightly until the dough is soft and slightly sticky.

Shape the dough into a 10″-12″ long roll, gently flattening into a 5″-6″ wide slab. Brush the top and sides with egg wash.

Bake for 30 minutes, or until the top of the slabs feels firm and dry. Remove from the oven, keeping the oven on. Set the slab on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.

Once the biscotti is cool enough to handle, cut crosswise into into 1″ thick slices. Place slices upright, ¼ inch apart, on cookie sheet.

Return to the oven to bake for 10 minutes. Turn cookies over, and continue baking for another 10 minutes (the cookies will be just a bit soft in the center, but will harden up once they cool). Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely, then make a hot cup of coffee and enjoy!